This invention relates generally to electrical connectors and more specifically to electrical connectors having connector position assurance devices to assure that mating connectors are properly mated and locked together.
Electrical connectors which have such devices are already known in the prior art.
U.S Pat. No. 4,370,013 issued to Mitsugi Niitsu et al Jan. 25, 1983 shows a connector device for electric circuit comprising male and female connector housings which are locked together by a flexible tongue piece of one connector housing engaging a cross piece of the other connector housing. When the connector housings are fastened, an insertion piece is inserted below the cross piece between the flexible tongue piece and the connector housing of the cross piece to prevent disengagement of the flexible tongue piece from the cross piece.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,306 issued to John A. Yurtin et al May 24, 1988 shows an electrical connector comprising dielectric connector bodies which are coupled and locked together by a resilient lock member of one connector body which engages a lock member of the other connector body to form a gauge hole. The gauge hole receives a gauge pin if the connector bodies are properly mated and locked together.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,204 issued to Gary C. Detter et al Jan. 6, 1987 shows an electrical connector comprising male and female connectors which are locked together by a flexible lock arm of one connector engaging a cross piece of the other connector. When the connectors are mated, a connector position assurance and assist device is inserted axially along a tracked slot beneath the flexible lock arm to assure proper mating and prevent disengagement of the flexible latch arm from the cross piece. If the connectors are only partly mated, the connector position assurance and assist device either assists the connectors to become fully mated or pushes them apart depending on which connector the device is inserted into.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,413 issued to Diane M. Schroeder Nov. 24, 1987 shows an electrical connector for electric circuit comprising a pair of matable connector bodies locked together with a pump handle type of lock which is disabled by a connector position assurance device when the connector bodies are properly mated. This connector position assurance device also pushes partially mated connector bodies together.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,204 issued to John R. Metzger Mar. 6, 1990 discloses an electrical connector comprising a male connector body having a rigid cantilevered lock arm which slides into a track portion of a female connector body. The female connector body has a flexible internal latch arm which engages the rigid lock arm to lock the connector bodies together. A connector position assurance device slides in a gauge slot of the female connector body only if the connected bodies are properly engaged and the internal flexible latch arm is fully engaged with the rigid latch arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,395 issued to Ken Cope, Ray Maga and Ted Hall Aug. 7, 1990 discloses an electrical connector comprising a first connector body and a second connector body which has a flexible lock arm which engages a lock shoulder of the first connector body when the first and second connector bodies are mated. The electrical connector includes a connector position assurance device which is slideably retained on the second connector body for movement between a release position where the flexible lock arm is free to flex into and out of engagement with the lock shoulder of the first connector body and a lock position where the connector position assurance device prevents the flexible lock arm from flexing out of engagement with the lock shoulder.